Separate type bar code reader

Claim 2

A bar code reader comprising: a light-emitting unit for emitting an outgoing ray of light; a scanning unit for reflecting said outgoing ray of light from said light-emitting unit to form a scanning beam; a scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit responsive to said scanning beam from said scanning unit for forming a plurality of scanning beams of different patterns; a reading window for transmitting said scanning beams of a plurality of different patterns formed by said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit to the outside; a conversion unit for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning a bar code printed on an object with said scanning beams of different patterns and converting the received light to an electrical signal, an improvement comprising: a separation unit means in which said light-­emitting unit, said scanning unit and said conversion unit are incorporated and for having a scanning window for directing said scanning beam formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a main-body unit means for including a mounting portion on which said separation unit is detachably mounted, and a light-receiving window for receiving said scanning beam emitted through said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion, and in which said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit disposed in position to form said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns from said scanning beam received through said light-receiving window and said reading window is incorporated, said bar code printed on said product being read by said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns emitted from said reading window when said separation unit means is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit means and read by said scanning beam emitted from said scanning window of said separation unit means when said separation unit means is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit means.

Claim 3

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit comprises a plurality of mirrors disposed in respective places at different inclinations, and each of said scanning beams of different patterns is formed when said scanning beam from said scanning unit crosses a mirror of said mirror unit.

Claim 4

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said main-body unit incorporates a recognition unit for recognizing said electrical signal output from said conversion unit as bar code data.

Claim 5

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 3, wherein said scanning beams have a plurality of patterns which intersect one another and one or more scanning beams are adapted to cross said bar code irrespective of its orientation.

Claim 6

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 4, wherein said light-emitting unit comprises a light source of a semiconductor laser and a beam-shaping lens for shaping a light beam of laser emitted from said light source.

Claim 7

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 5, wherein said scanning unit is formed of a polygonal mirror having a plurality of reflecting surfaces formed at different angles and a motor for rotating said polygonal mirror.

Claim 8

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 6, wherein said scanning window and said light-receiving window are both covered with a transparent member which can transmit said scanning beam.

Claim 9

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 7, wherein said conversion unit is formed of a condenser lens for gathering said reflected light from said bar code coming through said scanning window and an optical sensor for receiving light gathered by said condenser lens.

Claim 10

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 8, wherein said scanning window and said light-receiving window are opposed to each other when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main­body unit.

Claim 11

In a bar code reader comprising; a light-emitting unit for emitting an outgoing ray of light; a scanning unit for reflecting said outgoing ray of light from said light-emitting unit to form a plurality of patterns scanning beams; a reading window for transmitting said scanning beams of different patterns formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a conversion unit for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code printed on an object with said scanning beams of different patterns and converting the received light to an electrical signal, the improvement comprising: a separation unit incorporating said light-­emitting unit, said scanning unit and said conversion unit and having a scanning window for directing said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a main-body unit including a mounting portion on which said separation unit is detachably mounted, a light-receiving window for receiving said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns through said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion, and said reading window for emitting said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns received through said light-­receiving window to the outside, said bar code printed on said object being read by said scanning beams of different patterns emitted from said reading window when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit and read by said scanning beams of different patterns emitted from said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.

Claim 12

In a bar code reader comprising; a light-emitting unit for emitting an outgoing ray of light; a scanning unit for reflecting said outgoing ray of light from said light-emitting unit to form a plurality of patterns scanning beams; a reading window for transmitting said scanning beams of different patterns formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a conversion unit for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code printed on an object with said scanning beams of different patterns and converting the received light to an electrical signal, the improvement comprising: a separation unit incorporating said light-­emitting unit, said scanning unit and said conversion unit and having a scanning window for directing said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a main-body unit including a mounting portion on which said separation unit is detachably mounted, a light-receiving window for receiving said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns through said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion, and said reading window for emitting said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns received through said light-­receiving window to the outside, said bar code printed on said object being read by said scanning beams of different patterns emitted from said reading window when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit and read by said scanning beams of different patterns emitted from said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.

Claim 13

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 10, wherein said main-body unit incorporates a recognition unit for recognizing said electrical signal output from said conversion unit as bar code data.

Claim 14

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 11, wherein said scanning beams have a plurality of patterns which intersect one another and one or more scanning beams are adapted to cross said bar code irrespective of its orientation.

Claim 15

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 12, wherein said light-emitting unit comprises a light source of a semiconductor laser and a beam-shaping lens for shaping a light beam of laser emitted from said light source.

Claim 16

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 13, wherein said scanning unit is formed of a polygonal mirror having a plurality of reflecting surfaces formed at different angles and a motor for rotating said polygonal mirror.

Claim 17

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 14, wherein said scanning window and said light-receiving window are both covered with a transparent member which can transmit said scanning beam.

Claim 18

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 15, wherein said conversion unit is formed of a condenser lens for gathering said reflected light from said bar code coming through said scanning window and an optical sensor for receiving light gathered by said condenser lens.

Claim 19

A separate-type bar code reader according to claim 16, wherein said scanning window and said light-receiving window are opposed to each other when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-­body unit.

Claim 20

A separate-type bar code reader comprising: a main-body unit and a separation unit which is detachably mounted on said main-body unit, said separation unit comprising: a light-emitting unit for emitting an outgoing ray of light; a scanning unit for reflecting said outgoing ray of light emitted from said light-emitting unit to form a scanning beam; a scanning window for directing said scanning beam formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a conversion unit for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code printed on an object with said scanning beam and converting said reflected light to an electrical signal, said main-body unit comprising: a mounting portion for detachably mounting said separation unit; a light-receiving window for receiving said scanning beam emitted through said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion; a scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit for forming a plurality of scanning beams of different patterns from said scanning beam received through said light-receiving window; and a reading window for emitting said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning-­pattern-forming mirror unit to the outside, said bar code being scanned by said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit being emitted to said bar code through said reading window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said reading window, said light-receiving window and said scanning window when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit, said bar code being scanned by said scanning beam formed by said scanning unit through said scanning window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said scanning window when said separation unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.

Claim 21

A separate-type bar code reader comprising: a main-body unit and a separation unit which is detachably mounted on said main-body unit, said separation unit comprising: a light-emitting unit for emitting an outgoing ray of light; a scanning unit for reflecting said outgoing ray of light emitted from said light-emitting unit to form a scanning beam; a scanning window for directing said scanning beam formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a conversion unit for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code printed on an object with said scanning beam and converting said reflected light to an electrical signal, said main-body unit comprising: a mounting portion for detachably mounting said separation unit; a light-receiving window for receiving said scanning beam emitted through said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion; a scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit for forming a plurality of scanning beams of different patterns from said scanning beam received through said light-receiving window; and a reading window for emitting said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning-­pattern-forming mirror unit to the outside, said bar code being scanned by said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit being emitted to said bar code through said reading window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said reading window, said light-receiving window and said scanning window when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit, said bar code being scanned by said scanning beam formed by said scanning unit through said scanning window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said scanning window when said separation unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.

Claim 22

A separate-type bar code reader comprising: a main-body unit and a separation unit which is detachably mounted on said main-body unit, said separation unit comprising: a light-emitting unit for emitting an outgoing ray of light; a scanning unit for reflecting said outgoing ray of light emitted from said light-emitting unit to form a plurality of scanning beams of different patterns; a scanning window for directing said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a conversion unit for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code printed on an object with said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns and converting said reflected light to an electrical signal, said main-body unit comprising: a mounting portion for detachably mounting said separation unit; a light-receiving window for receiving said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns emitted through said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion; and a reading window for emitting said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns received through said light-receiving window to the outside, said bar code being scanned by said scanning beams of different patterns through said reading window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said reading window, said light-receiving window and said scanning window when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit, and said bar code being scanned by said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns through said scanning window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said scanning window when said separation unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.

Claim 23

A separate-type bar code reader comprising: a main-body unit and a separation unit which is detachably mounted on said main-body unit, said separation unit comprising: a light-emitting unit for emitting an outgoing ray of light; a scanning unit for reflecting said outgoing ray of light emitted from said light-emitting unit to form a plurality of scanning beams of different patterns; a scanning window for directing said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning unit to the outside; and a conversion unit for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code printed on an object with said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns and converting said reflected light to an electrical signal, said main-body unit comprising: a mounting portion for detachably mounting said separation unit; a light-receiving window for receiving said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns emitted through said scanning window of said separation unit when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion; and a reading window for emitting said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns received through said light-receiving window to the outside, said bar code being scanned by said scanning beams of different patterns through said reading window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said reading window, said light-receiving window and said scanning window when said separation unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit, and said bar code being scanned by said scanning beams of a plurality of patterns through said scanning window and light reflected from said bar code being received by said conversion unit at least through said scanning window when said separation unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.